May 31, 2019
** I got behind with my posts, so this one is a little bare-bones. I’ll try and flesh it out with more details later**
You could summarize this day with these four things: rest, laundry, Chilean food, and absinthe
Our lodging is a really cute place with a lofted bed, and slanted ceilings, so we were up at 6 with active birds and bright sunshine streaming through the windows.
We dozed for a couple hours and then I got up to make a run for pastries since M scavenged for dinner last night.
We had been making sure to take advantage of the washing machine and were checking on air air-drying clothes and decided we’d go to lunch and then check out one of the local absinthe distilleries since Pontarlier is so well-known for the spirit.
We settled at a low-key place called Pachamama. That word happens to be the name for the Incan fertility Goddess, which was appropriate considering the proprietor’s energy. She was cooking everything from scratch in the kitchen and waiting on the customers in the small dining room. M and I shared cheese and beef empanadas, pastel de choclo (a corn, cheese and meat casserole-type dish), salad, and pico. It was delicious. One of the best meals I’ve had of the trip. We also each had a rhubarb tarts with coffee for dessert. Yum.
Afterwards we went to the Pierre Guy Distillerie to tour the facilities and taste some absinthe. They didn’t offer an official tour in English, but instead of turning us away, they asked a bilingual employee to take us around. Benjamin was terrific–he has a background in chemistry and clearly loved working there.
It was a fun ‘rest’ day!
Canterbury to Rome 